cannabisnews.com: MJ's Active Ingredient May Actually Improve Memory
MJ's Active Ingredient May Actually Improve Memory
Posted by CN Staff on October 12, 2006 at 06:43:18 PT
By James Heggen, Iowa State Daily
Source: State Hornet
Ames, Iowa -- It seems sacrificing your memory now could lead to saving it in the future. A new study, published in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics by researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in California has found that the active ingredient in marijuana may prevent the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
The link between marijuana and Alzheimer's disease lies in the active ingredient, said Dr. Robert Bender, geriatrician at the Johnny Orr Memory Center and Healthy Living Institute, who specializes in diseases of old age with an interest in memory disorder. "What various studies around the world are starting to show is that the basic ingredient in marijuana, the cannabis, may actually increase the level of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, which we need to form new memories," Bender said. "It also may block the formation of something called amyloid plaques." Amyloid plaques are very common in the brains affected by Alzheimer's disease and may be a key to why patients develop the disease, Bender said. Plaques result when the brain cannot breakdown amyloid normally. The resulting build-up of plaques impair brain function and nerve transmission. He also said researchers have found that the cannabis may decrease inflammation in the brain of patients who have Alzheimer's disease. "Inflammation is something that results from whatever is going on in the brain to lead to Alzheimer's disease and there is some feeling that if we can decrease the inflammation, the process may be slowed down, that is the process of deterioration that patients experience," he said. In Bender's opinion, since this research doesn't get at the cause of Alzheimer's, it will probably lead to a treatment, rather than a cure. "Even in the most optimistic view, it probably will not be a cure. It may be something that leads us to develop another way of slowing the progress down," he said. If you're wondering how the active ingredient in marijuana promotes memory, but you still can't remember where you put your keys, Bender has some insight. "It's probably because of, as far as I can tell, the sedating effect of the drug, the way that people take it. When you're sedated, you're not alert and when you're not alert, you don't remember things as well," Bender said. For those of you on your way to go smoke some pot in the name of neurological health, Bender would suggest you put down the bong. "We certainly would never recommend that people smoke marijuana to prevent Alzheimer's disease," Bender said. Smoking marijuana will not be the solution for treatment of Alzheimer's disease in Bender's opinion. What he expects is that there will be much work to refine and isolate chemicals in order to get the positive effects without the intoxicating side effects. "The cannabinoid that is in marijuana will probably have to be refined and people would have to find ways to make sure that the side effects don't outweigh the potential benefits," he said. "I feel confident that we will not be prescribing for people to smoke marijuana, but it may be that they can isolate chemicals, perhaps alter them a little bit that are in marijuana and eventually use them therapeutically." This study will lead to more research in trying to harness the active ingredient in marijuana in a medication form rather than medical marijuana use, said Rep. James Kurtenbach, R-Nevada. "What I would expect to happen is if the active ingredient that impacts marijuana can be isolated that can be used in a form such as a tablet or pill or chemical injection then the research would try to harness that active ingredient," he said. Kurtenbach does not believe public support for the use of marijuana medically will not change either. "Alzheimer's is an extremely terrible disease," he said. "Any medication that will less the impact or delay the impact of Alzheimer's will drive public support towards increased funding, however I don't believe that it would drive public support simply for licensing for medical marijuana." Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, D-Ames, said there have been other medicinal uses of marijuana, and this may shift the way marijuana is used and viewed in society. "I know people have seen the benefits of using marijuana for these purposes, have really struggled to get approval for that from the FDA," she said. "It's always been a big struggle because of the negatives that surround marijuana, but this is a big study, a big step in an interesting direction." From what Wessel-Kroeschell read, she believed more research needs to take place and stressed that this type of medicine should always be monitored by a doctor. Wessel-Kroeschell said she felt the new findings could add fresh support to the pro-marijuana lobby. "I think that in families that have been seriously affected by [Alzheimer's], certainly any hope that's out there brings them out of the woodworks looking for support," she said. "It does have the potential to change the impression of the public." Complete Title: Study: Marijuana's Active Ingredient May Actually Improve MemorySource: State Hornet, The (CA State, Sacramento, Edu)Author: James Heggen, Iowa State Daily Published: October 12, 2006 Copyright: 2006 State HornetContact: editor statehornet.comWebsite: http://www.statehornet.com/Related Articles: Marijuana's Benefits Exploredhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22265.shtmlPot Helps in Fighting Alzheimer's, Study Sayshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22255.shtmlMarijuana May Stave Off Alzheimer's: Studyhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22243.shtml
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Comment #12 posted by whig on October 13, 2006 at 11:23:25 PT
Four and twenty does not make 24
Read carefully, and see that this is all as it is supposed to be.
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Comment #11 posted by whig on October 13, 2006 at 11:21:49 PT
Rev. 19:3-4
And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.
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Comment #10 posted by whig on October 13, 2006 at 11:13:30 PT
mayan
The dragon's already slain. Well, it's been given a mortal wound anyhow. Maybe another one will rise in its place, next.
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Comment #9 posted by mayan on October 13, 2006 at 03:38:41 PT
whig
Nothing I say is carved in stone forever. I would look at the individual leaders/candidates and not so much the party. Maybe all of the third parties will have to merge in order to take down the dragon.
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Comment #8 posted by whig on October 13, 2006 at 00:22:00 PT
Music
Okay, I have the next song up.http://tinyurl.com/y35aqjI should also mention that if you ever just want to listen to the soundtrack of the revolution, you can tune in here:http://cannablog.wordpress.com/tag/music/
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Comment #7 posted by whig on October 13, 2006 at 00:13:12 PT
mayan
So I guess you'll be with the Libertarians, then.We're going to have some real debates, you know, after this issue is settled. It's not like ending cannabis prohibition solves everything, it just gives us the ability to do so. Kind of like cannabis itself -- it doesn't actually cure anything, it just gives your brain and your body the tools to do so.Speaking of which, I just made myself a cup of Yogi ginger tea a bit ago, and there was a saying on the bag.Herbs heal, doctors diagnose and God cures.The future is certain. Give us time to work it out.So now I have to go put up a Talking Heads song on the cannablog. I hope you like the music, it's a big part of what I'm doing there.
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Comment #6 posted by mayan on October 12, 2006 at 17:49:15 PT
Whig
Considering that the earth is becoming uninhabitable I would love to see the Greens in power...ultimately, but I'm afraid they would shock the system to the point of collapse if they were brought in today. Maybe collapse is inevitable though? Anyway, I would first let the Libertarians in and let a true free-market do it's thing for a while. Let the people have their choices of hemp,medical cannabis,alternative energies,etc. and slowly transform the economy to a more sustainable model. Then bring the Greens and other third parties in and let them institute the more drastic reforms which will eventually have to be made. Just my opinion.
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Comment #5 posted by BGreen on October 12, 2006 at 13:49:49 PT
We already have a synthetic THC pill
"What I would expect to happen is if the active ingredient that impacts marijuana can be isolated that can be used in a form such as a tablet or pill or chemical injection then the research would try to harness that active ingredient," he said.You've tried the isolation route and have a fairly worthless pill called "Marinol" already on the market.What? It doesn't work on alzheimer's?Well, whatever you do, don't stop arresting thousands for using that "worthless plant" just because it contains all of these medicinal properties that you can't seem to re-create in the lab.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #4 posted by whig on October 12, 2006 at 11:55:36 PT
Dankhank
Poisoning old people.http://cannablog.wordpress.com/2006/10/12/mental-health/
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Comment #3 posted by whig on October 12, 2006 at 11:00:16 PT
mayan
So maybe after we get rid of these Republicans in office, and then those Democrats who enabled them and voted for the torture bill, once we have cleaned house, maybe there will be two political parties left standing: the Greens and the Libertarians.Which one will we each be aligned with? I think it's an interesting question, because even though the anti-Republican sentiment here is strong right now, there are a fair number of self-described Libertarians in our movement. I think it will be the post-Bush period of some time to wake up those who are in favor of our issue but have never had a reasonable access to cannabis.I'm Green-aligned, for sure. Sustainable life. We cannot destroy our home and live in it too. We need a better way of living with our environment and not against it.
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Comment #2 posted by Dankhank on October 12, 2006 at 07:18:33 PT
then there's this ...
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/12/health/12dementia.html?hp&ex=1160712000&en=29a8c7a3ae94ce68&ei=5094&partner=homepagestupid NYTimes
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Comment #1 posted by mayan on October 12, 2006 at 07:08:42 PT
Tick-Tock
It's now obvious that the cannabis plant could help save the earth and it's peoples but that wouldn't fit the elite's plan to depopulate the planet. Their agenda of depopulation will be more like total extinction unless we get wise real quick...Water for millions at risk as glaciers melt away:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1892414,00.htmlHere's a man with vision...Thornton Suggests Drug Policy:
http://tinyurl.com/ygyfo7Where are the RepubliCrats?
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